Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-03-12
The "Strange and Peculiar People"
Churned Up-EducatiOn, Morality
and Supremacy Of the Law the
Themes Dwell on by
the Orators.
Young Utah to the FrOnt-A New
Feature introduced into the
League Meetings.

and SISterS-Gentlle and MOrmOn-Of
the Murray branch. The party consisted
of J. L. Rawlins, Waldemar Van Colt,
John NJ Young, A. B. Thompson and a
representative of THE DEMOCRAT. On
their arrival at Murray they were re-
ceived by President T. S. Austin, Bishop
Harry Haines, Secretary of the League,
and an enthusiastic crowd of members
who escorted the visiting missionaries to
tbs League Hall, where an assembly of
people consisting of Mormon, Jew and
Gentle had filled the hall to its utmost
capacity, anxiously awaiting to listen to
the speakers.
Promptly at o'clock, President Austin
called the meeting to order, announcing
that the
LEAGUE GLEE CLUB
Would open the programme by singing
'Hold the Fort" which was done in a
spirited and praiseworthy manner.
Mr.. Waldemar Van Colt was then
introduced as the first speaker, the audi
ence greeting him with free and prolonged
applause Mr.. Van colt, in a way that
showed he had not only been recently
studying the new law, but was also we'll
acquainted with the Utah problem in its
more important phases, began to explain
some of the points embodied in the Tuck
er-Edmunds law, showing what would be
the probable results of its enforcement to
the people here. He dwelt upon the
parts of the law which have direct bearing
on social affairs. The speech was SPLEEN
did effort on the part of the young law
yer, and reflected great credit on him as
one OF Utah's sons who las outgrown
the dogmas and superstitions in which he
was born, and when he took his seat, the
crowd, now increased beyond the seating
accommodations of the hall, sent up an
applause that made the building ring.
"CoLUMBIA's GUARDIAN ANGEL"
Was then rendered by the Glee Club, in
the chorus of which the audience Joined.
The next speaker was Mr.. j. NJ.
Young, we'll known as the champion OF
education for the young people of Utah.
The text and context of his remarks were
the education of the common people. He
ably contrasted the educational advan-
tages in this priest-governed Territory
with those OF other States and Terrific
ries. He said that the Pilgrim Fathers,
cast upon the unknown shores of the I'M
known world, starved and storm beaten,
and with SCARCELY enough strength left to
climb on and cling to Plymouth Rock long
enough to catch their breath, they, the
outcast of their fatherland, did more in
the same length of time for the educa-
ton of their children, and laid a
frmer foundation for their descendants
than the thousands of Mormons have
done since they found a peaceful and
nature blessed ASYLUM in these valleys
The first thing the Plymouth Puritan
Father did, was to build and dedicate a
temple for the dissemination of knowledge
and sound ideas of human liberty and
justice; the first thing that the Utah
Puritan Fathers (save the world did was
to lay the foundation OF a temple for the
teaching of superstition, treason and
polygamy, surrounding it with Chinese
wall SO high and thick that the ideas of
liberty, equal rights and progress would
find it impossible to scale it. This gov
eminent is dealing with this people as
sensible school teacher desciplines the
pupils in his charge-taking a course
that is strict, may be severe, but must be
followed Tor their own sakes, their mora
education and political development.
Unless the Mormons wheel into line with
the institutions and civilization of the age
they will be crowded to the wall and be
lost in the oblivion of the own mental
darkness. Mr.. Young spoke for nearly
an hour and was listened to with spell
bound interest, only being interrupted
now and again by willing manifestations
of approval.
THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE"
By the choir was the next musical selec-
ton. Mr.. A. B. Thompson then fol-
lowed with short address through
which there ran a vein Of humor. He
showed up some of the absurd falacies
and inhuman injustice of the Mormon
creed. He defended the position taken.
by the young people of Utah in accept
ing the ideas of freedom, morality and
enlightenment as choice between the
Asiatic ideas of polygamy, priestcraft
and disqualification, and in scathing
terms denounced and rebuked that class of
people who villify young men for hav-
ing the courage of their convictions and
daring to assert them. He wanted to
see the time when the flag of his country
should float higher, command sincere re-
spect and inspire deeper patriotism
than the banner of Isreal
Very appropriately the Glee Club then
sang "Rally Round the Flag" the
chorus being taken up as a rich refrain
by the audience. There could be no
mistaking the sentiment and patriotic
spirit that prevailed.
MR.. ]. L. RAwLINs,
Utahs most favorite son though last, was
not the least on the programme Mr.. !
Rawlins' address was forcible, eloquent |
arraignment of the teachings of Mormon |
ism as defined by judgment, justice,
morality and humanitarian ideas and |
feelings. 1t had reached the speakers |
ears that the people in Murray would !
like to know what he believed in, and
for nearly an hour Mr.. Rawlins elucidated
his belief, his hopes and his ideas, giving
in no uncertain voice a reason for the
faith within him. He showed up the in
Justice and inhumanity of Mormonism to
the living and the dead. The functions
of a free government and the duties and
relations of the citizen to that govern
ment were dwelt on with reason by the
speaker. He urged on the young the
duty of acquainting themselves with the
principles of government by the people
and the advanced ideas of our modern
civilization.
Mr.. Rawlins' remarks created pro-
found feeling in the minds of his au-
ditors, many of those present pro-
the address as the ablest and
most philosophic one they ever heard in
Utah.
At the close of the addresses, Secretary
Harry Haynes read the following
RESOLUTIONS OF RESPECT
To the memory OF George Birch, a much